Hundreds of U.S. Marines were ordered by an American sergeant on Wednesday to disarm before entering a tent where Defense Secretary Leon Panetta was set to speak during his trip to Afghanistan.

No reason was given and U.S. officials tried to downplay the move. But the highly unusual security measure comes amid rising tension in the country after an American solider allegedly killed 16 Afghan civilians on Sunday.

Sgt. Maj. Brandon Hall told more than 200 Marines at Camp Leatherneck that they were to leave their weapons outside. Afghan troops had already been told that they, too, were not allowed to bring their guns.

"Something has come to light," Hall told the troops. When an Associated Press reporter asked about the order, Hall said all he knew was, "I was told to get the weapons out."

During his visit, Panetta promised U.S. troops would not change its course of action, despite recent flare-ups. The trip was scheduled before the bloody massacre which has spurred demands for officials in both countries that foreign troops leave more quickly.

Afghan-U.S. relations have frayed since the shooting incident, in addition to the burning of Korans at a military base in Afghanistan last month. That sparked nearly a week of violent demonstrations, leaving 30 dead, including six U.S. soldiers.

American officials later said the disarming order at the Panetta event came from top commander, Maj. Gen. Mark Gurganus.

He insisted to the New York Times that it had nothing to do with the massacre.

"You've got one of the most important people in the world in the room," he said. "This is not a big deal.

Total POS cowards. And what if a jihadi comes in with guns ablazing? The soldiers would not have been able to react, respond or even defend themselves. Like the Ft Hood guys. All disarmed. Except the Mad Muzzie Major. We are all suspect now. Except the ROPs

Leon Panetta knows he leads without the consent of the followers. He's afraid. this is the same reason the left is against the Second Amendment; they know they cannot rule without the consent of the governed. The left is afraid of the citizens and it's military.

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A little off topic, but worth a post. In a combat zone your weapon stays within reach. And after an attempted incursion as Leon landed, what could they be thinking. As a suicide attack develops, wait a minute while we retrieve our weapons. Other coverage has blamed it on local command, who didn't want to offend Afghani soldiers attending but who are disarmed.

21
posted on 03/14/2012 4:21:37 PM PDT
by SJackson
(The easiest way to find something lost around the house is to buy a replacement)

"First time stripped of guns during address by Secretary of Defense" reads a headline at Drudge. Think about what's happening here, folks.. Our Secretary of Defense says just a few days ago that our military going to war would be subject to UN Approval, Not Congressional Action. Say WHAT? Is America a sovereign country anymore, Leon?? What form of government do you espouse for the United States, Leon?? Who the HELL do you represent because it's surely not anything Americans are familiar with, Leon.. Did you disarm our brave young men and women during your visit to Afghanistan because you know that your position on the U.N. APPROVING OUR WARS (and coincidentally, soon our elections?) TREASONOUS and feared retaliation from your own soldiers?

This is a travesty and gravely damaging to our troops' moral, but knowing the 0bama regime's objective of dismantling, damaging, weakening, and outright sabotaging anything and everything American, including our military, it comes as no surprise. What's even more chilling is our Congress' complete silence as they sit idly by watching 0bama and his 'change agents' spit, piss and trample on our Constitution!

Biden is too retarded to be a target of anybody, no need to disarm our troops when he shows up.

Never will forget his assault on the Little League World Series winners back in 2009, the kids are celebrating and all of a sudden are posing for photos with Husseins insurance policy.-Photo spotted by LAcrew

During Tet, when that crud LBJ flew into El Toro, MCAS, his Secret Service pukes insisted that all Marines be disarmed. They wanted Marines standing there like popsicles cheering the chief shithead on.

One MF secret service puke insisted that I give him my .45 and magazine to be sure I didn’t have any live ammo. I told that mercenary secret service puke to go F himself.

He freaked out and begged the captain in my platoon to disarm me and other people in the MP platoon.

Long story short, I obeyed the captain’s orders to give up my weapon.

Regardless, LBJ got boos and catcalls by the assembled Marines and the gutless secret service traitors didn’t hang around for a beer at the NCO club.

The incident was never broadcast by the propaganda press even though the place was infested by every network.

Bottom line? The criminal fascist government in DC hates and fears Marines and has since Tet.

What kind of idiot goes to a hostile war zone and tells the war fighters to disarm? What happens if they are attacked during the uber important speech? Oh,...right, they all die because they weren’t prepared to defend themselves...

They classified our own military vets as “domestic terrorists.” What dishonorable filth we have running this country. I feel sorry for our soldiers. They are under so much pressure in war and to have your own leadership turn on you and join the enemy... It reminds me of what my brother told me about serving in Viet Nam. :(

Ten bucks says there are a few angles to that massacre of the civilians by the staff sergeant that haven’t seen the light of day, but have given the U.S. political leadership and military brass good reason to be very, very concerned about the situation with the leadership, discipline and mental stability of the soldiers who are serving over there.

A similar thing happened to a former coworker who was an SOF officer. This fellow and a number of other SOF arrived in a C-12 and touched down at Pope shortly after AF 1 bearing Jimmy Carter arrived. Some of the very large Secret Service contingent securing the air drome surrounded the aircraft and held the SOF personnel at gun point for several minutes and insisted they remove their sidearms before being allowed to go to the flight ops building. There were some irate calls to SOF HQ but they were told to shut up and wait for the Presidential party to clear the air base.

The Secret Service is institutionally paranoid and thinks anyone with a firearm is going to try and assassinate the POTUS.

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